This Blame Was Probably Inevitable!

Was there really that big a difference between being lost and being missing?

Calling it "missing" merely sounded nicer. If he had been lost, that would have been downright embarrassing...

Before they knew, everyone had been anxious and desperate to learn the truth. But now that they did know, their expressions turned strange. Some wanted to laugh, some were secretly delighted at the misfortune, and some were worried.

The ones who wanted to laugh thought Sunagakure was incredible—they had even managed to lose their own Third Kazekage. Oh, no, he was missing. The ones enjoying their misfortune thought that the more chaotic things became for the other side, the better it was for Konoha. The worried ones felt that this could lead to a major disaster.

Hikaru took in everyone's expressions, raised a hand, and tapped the table. "Those of you who want to mock them or enjoy their misfortune can put those expressions away. You're still gloating at a time like this? One mistake could trigger a war between the two villages."

"What do you mean?!"

Quite a few people were stunned by Hikaru's words. Wasn't Sunagakure busy searching for their Third Kazekage right now? Whether they could still find him or not, they should have been the anxious ones. Given the current situation, what other outcome could there be for the Third Kazekage besides assassination?

Wouldn't Sunagakure hurry to choose a new Fourth Kazekage and come looking for trouble with Konoha? Wasn't that practically inevitable?

"Minister Uchiha Hikaru, do you really think that instead of finding a new Kazekage as quickly as possible, Sunagakure wants to start a war with Konoha? Isn't that alarmist?"

Utatane Koharu, who had also been enjoying Sunagakure's misfortune, was somewhat displeased upon hearing Hikaru's words. If something like this had happened to Konoha,